Subject: Protect the People, Not the Banks: Enforce a Strong Volcker Rule! s7-41-11

March 6, 2012

Greetings,

Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act (“Volcker Rule”) gave you specific guidance to write a rule that places strict limits on proprietary trading and ownership of hedge funds/private equity funds by banks. Unfortunately, your proposed implementation of the Volcker Rule creates a number of loopholes that can be exploited by banks.

We ask that you close down those loopholes and be faithful to the elected leaders of this Nation and the guidance they gave you in the form of Dodd-Frank Section 619. Further, between now and July 21st, 2012, the banking industry will send its loyal army of lawyers to lobby you to try to dilute your current draft of the Volcker Rule.

I join Occupy the SEC in requesting that you faithfully and strongly implement Congress’s intent when you draft the final version of the Volcker Rule.

Please stand up to the banking lobby and protect the people, and not the banks.

Sincerely,

Because the work of your group has helped me understand where and why strengthening the language of this regulation is important, despite my very deep aversion to regulation as the prime solution to the problems of our banking system. I see here how we can regulate without burdening the smaller firms that are so often at a disadvantage at the end of the regulatory processes.